"Help My REALTOR® is holding me hostage!"

by Maureen McCabe on August 20, 2007

A year ago I would not let a seller move out of a house until the property was sold. She’d bought a condo and was really excited to settle into her new home. I did not want her to have to neutralize the place, the home was beautifully decorated but some of the rooms would not have made sense viusally without her furniture and accessories.

Staging a home is important, when it is occupied and when it is vacant.

Real Estate guru Bob Bruss gives another big reason that moving out and leaving a house vacant can be a problem.

“INSURER CANCELS INSURANCE ON A VACANT HOUSE

DEAR BOB: We just received notice that our homeowner’s insurance policy with AARP Hartford Insurance has been canceled because the house is empty. Yes, we are selling our home and have moved to a condo, but our many years of loyalty and our car insurance with the same insurer did not mean anything. Maybe you can make other people aware not to move out until after the house is sold. –William R.

DEAR WILLIAM: Most homeowner’s insurance policies contain vacancy clauses allowing the insurer to cancel some coverages if the home is vacant for more than 30 or 60 days. The reason is a vacant house is more likely to sustain water damage and vandalism.

Your situation will be a warning to homeowners to read their insurance policies and not leave their homes vacant for more than 30 or 60 days, according to the policy terms.”

Bob Bruss has a column on Inman News. Inman is by subscription so I can not link to the entry.